Bob Brookover

COLUMNIST

Sports columnist Bob Brookover joined the Inquirer in 2000 as the Phillies beat writer after long stints in the same role with the Camden Courier-Post and the Delaware County Daily Times. He also served as the National League columnist for ESPN. He made the move from rawhide to pigskin in 2003 and covered the Eagles for seven years before returning to his roots as the Inquirer's baseball columnist in 2010. He became a general sports columnist in 2013 and loves covering a variety of sports and events.

NASHVILLE -- If the Phillies are able to successfully complete a trade to acquire third baseman Michael Young from the Texas Rangers, the deal could ultimately be judged on what becomes of the players who go the other way.

According to the Dallas Morning News, which reported Wednesday night that the Rangers and Phillies were in "advanced talks" about a trade involving Young, Texas would get a young big-league reliever and a low-level prospect in return.

The Phillies, of course, had a lot of young relievers take the mound in 2012 with varying results. The one reliever they'd probably most be willing to part with is righthander Michael Schwimer, who has a big arm but also infuriated management when he complained of a sore arm after being optioned to triple-A Lehigh Valley in late August. He was not among the September additions.

Lefties Jake Diekman and Jeremy Horst and righthanders Justin DeFratus and Phillippe Aumont are probably the four young relievers the Phillies would least like to part with. That leaves righthanders Josh Lindblom and B.J. Rosenberg as two other candidates to go to the Rangers.

As for Young, a seven-time all-star, he has primarily been a designated hitter the last two seasons for the Rangers. He played 155 games at third base in 2010, but only 65 the last two seasons after Texas signed Adrian Beltre. If Young does come to Philadelphia, it's likely to be for only one season because the Phillies believe Cody Asche could be ready to play in the big leagues by 2014.